The irregular work of the officers of the Federation has led to the contempt of the Supreme Court. These officers have supplied the foodgrains of the absolutely poor quality to the anganwadis. The poor nourishment has led to rampant child malnutrition in Maharashtra, the Special Investigation Team of “Sprouts” has revealed after investigation.
Speaking to the “Sprouts”, Social worker and Advocate Dilip Inkar demanded a probe by CBI and ED into the malpractices of the federation. The Union Government has initiated major steps for women empowerment and has instructed state governments to implement various welfare schemes for the women’s self-help groups. However instead of needy women receiving the benefits, these schemes are cornered by the federation.
A nutritious diet has been provided to anganwadi children by the Women and Child Welfare department for years together. However the self-help groups are being deprived of these benefits by the federation for the last two and half years in Maharashtra.
Basically the Supreme Court had directed that these schemes be implemented by the self-help groups themselves. The Maharashtra State Coop Consumers’ Federation was entrusted with the work on a purely temporary basis. However the federation continues to carry it out for the last several years. The federation has been inviting the tenders for the supply of food and foodgrains for the last two and half years. However this is only to benefit the federation offers who earn crores of rupees and deprive women of their rightful work.
When the women approached the Supreme court to seek justice, the SC ruled in favor of February 2019. In its order the SC stated that the tender process should be so transparent that any self-help group can participate in the tender process and local groups should be given the preference. Besides, the tenders should be implemented at Panchayat and Group Panchayat level.
As of now nearly 18 organisations provide the foodgrains to the anganwadis. Of these Mahalaksmi Mahila Grih Udyog, Maharashtra Women Cooperative and Venkteshwar Women Cooperative have been enrolled with the federation irregularly in violation of set norms. The SC has clearly directed that these 3 organisations be debarred from supplying the foodgrains to the anganwadis. Yet the corrupt officers of the federation have continued to award them contracts for selfish gains.
